Spam is a massive problem that continues to erode the effectiveness of the Internet. Of course, there are a lot of very smart people out there doing their best to combat the problem in various ways.

But, sometimes, the most basic spam strategy of all can get a little lost in the heat of the battle.

DO NOT BUY FROM SPAMMERS!

If you buy any sort of product or service from a spammer whatsoever, you are contributing to the problem. In fact, those who buy from spammers are the root cause of the problem. I consider those who buy from spammers to be as equally culpable as the spammers themselves.

Of course, it would be hopelessly naive to believe that, somehow, everyone will suddenly get the message and stop buying from spammers. Unfortunately, that's not going to happen anytime soon!

That said, we can at least ensure that no slimy, guttersnipe spammer ever gets a single cent from us. We can also promote the simple message that buying from spammers is simply unacceptable. Such grassroots action might be more effective than you think.

One website whose purpose is to promote this message is SpamDon'tBuy.org. The name says it all! The site provides more in depth information about the Don't Buy It strategy and, if you run a website, you can promote the message by including a "Spam. Don't Buy It." icon like the one below.